healthtips

persistent pests - removing ticks

There are still two things that turn my stomach a little bit; maggots and ticks. I CAN deal with them but I don’t have to be happy about it! Many areas of the country suffer heavy tick infestations from early spring all the way through to late fall. These little bloodsuckers can be responsible for a number of serious diseases in humans and animals including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, ehrlichia, babesia and tick paralysis. Removing ticks can be tricky, fortunately the fetch! petwise gadget gurus spotted the Tick Key ("We Heart This," Heart issue, page 44) to help remove them. If you don’t have a Tick Key yet, try to remove the tick with tweezers, grabbing the tick as close to the head as possible and pulling with gentle pressure. If you don’t get all of the mouth parts the first time, don’t panic; get out as much as you can and your pet’s immune system will take care of the rest. If you’re concerned (or squeamish!), consult your veterinarian.

Top Tick Diseases:

1. Lyme disease: This bacterial infection is the most common tick-borne disease in the Northern Hemisphere and infected ticks can also infect humans.

The information contained in this website is for illustrative purposes only and coverage under any pet insurance policy is expressly subject to the conditions, restrictions, limitations, exclusions and terms of the policy documentation issued by the insurer. Availability of this program is subject to each state’s approval and coverage may vary by state.

Petplan insurance policies are administered by Fetch Insurance Services, LLC (Fetch Insurance Agency, LLC in Michigan), d/b/a Petplan (Petplan Insurance Agency, LLC in California) and underwritten by XL Specialty Insurance Company, which carries the rating of A+ by S&P, and AGCS Marine Insurance Company, a member of the Allianz Group, (rated A+ A.M. Best). Coverages may not be available in all jurisdictions. Information accurate as of November 2016.